Spring Maintenance Tips For Your Ottawa Parking Lot

When spring rain washes away the snow, property managers in Ottawa often find that their parking lot is much worse for wear. Winter does damage to your lot, and the excess moisture and temperatures hovering around freezing in spring do not help either. Those who want to protect their investment in their lot and avoid major repair work are better off resolving issues in spring before they have a chance to get worse.

Below, we’ll outline the steps you should take to protect your lot. Keep in mind that the more regularly you provide this maintenance to your lot, the less likely you are to need major repairs and the longer service life you should get from the asphalt overall. Maintenance reduces the costs for your lot in the long run, often quite significantly.

Get an Asphalt Inspection

You can have professionals look at your parking lot, but if you have the time, you’re likely quite capable of doing it yourself, too. All you need to do is walk through it and look for issues like:

• Cracks
• Crumbling
• Faded lines
• Sunken spots or complete potholes
• Spots where water drains too slowly
• Areas where your sealcoat is wearing off

Make a note of the issues that your lot has and schedule your repairs. Note that if your parking lot starts to get busy this time of year and you don’t want to section it off for repairs we offer infrared repair, which takes significantly less time than other repair options. Your lot can be ready for use in as little as 30 minutes after the repairs. If we can do this during off hours, there is no interruption to your business at all.

Plan for Repairs

You may not want to schedule repairs for things like small cracks. However, it is in your best interests to do so. Small issues with your parking lot will quickly develop into larger ones if they are left in disrepair. Even tiny cracks will let spring rain directly into your asphalt, and in combination with the potential for freezing temperatures in early spring, this is an especially bad thing. Fixing them now prevents more major repairs later.

Small issues with drainage are another thing that you should not ignore in springtime. Ottawa gets the bulk of its rain over these few months, and your lot needs to be able to drain it properly. If it doesn’t, it can cause issues with the lot, including sapping the oils out of the asphalt that keep it supple and prevent damage. Mold, algae and moss growth, sunken areas, clogged drains, and pedestrian hazards can all also be caused when a lot isn’t draining properly.  

Clean the Pavement

It’s common for piles of snow to melt out of your parking lot and leave a kind of gross look behind. A simple pressure wash of the pavement can make it look fresh again and also help get rid of anything gross, like leaves that were left behind in the fall and trapped under the snow or animal droppings or algae growth on the asphalt.

Add a Sealcoat

Sealcoating is important in the spring because it is one of the best ways to prevent water damage in your lot. The sealcoat acts as a barrier between the asphalt and the water, which would otherwise evaporate oils in the asphalt and lead to cracks and damage. Sealcoating also has the benefit of reducing other damage, creating a smooth surface, making the lot look better, and more. Spring is an ideal season to get a sealcoat.

Repaint Your Lines

Faded lines in your parking lot can lead to confusion, accidents, and generally lower people’s perception of your business. EverLine Coatings offers line painting with TBL Durables paint, which is three to four times more durable than other traffic paints. Our clients report that they have 20-30% on their line painting over three years when they choose us.

Choose EverLine Coatings in Ottawa

When spring arrives, it is time to jump into action to protect your parking lot all summer. Our team at EverLine Coatings can help you with your pavement maintenance services in Ottawa. Learn more about us today.